Welcome to African Roots! This site was built by Patricia Bayonne-Johnson who is researching the surnames Bayonne, Randall, Hicks, Morgan, Sterling/Stirling, Briant and Taylor of Louisiana; Estes and Jones of Mississippi; Butler of Maryland and Louisiana. Family members are invited to share their research, stories, traditions and images.

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Sunday, February 3, 2013

GlADYS HICKS BUTLER

Our family lost two members in 2012 thirty four days apart. My aunt Gladys was the first; she died on August 16, 2013. Jerry and I were planning to go to New York for Onita's Open House party when we got word that Gladys was dying. The party was canceled and we went to New Orleans for the funeral instead.

Gladys was the fourth child and the third daughter of Willie Estes Hicks and Nace Hicks, Sr. She worked as a cook and became highly respected for her extraordinary culinary skills. Gladys home became the site of many holiday and family celebrations. Gladys was very active in social clubs and always elegantly dressed in her fancy hats, gloves and beautiful suits and dresses.

I will always be grateful for the sacrifices that Gladys made when she went to Virginia to assist Gussie, my mother and her Big Sis, in caring for us during WWII. Our Dad served as welder of damaged ships and Mom was a housewife with two small children, Jackie about five weeks old and me, a toddler about one and a half years. Mom could not have made it without Gladys.

We deeply appreciate Gladys for all of the things that she did and to have her presence in our lives as a loving aunt.